How to Say "They" in Old English

hīe

plural

The Old English word for "they" is hīe.

hīe is the third-person plural pronoun.

Meaning: third-person plural pronoun (pron)

Which one should you use?

hīe is used specifically for the third-person plural, while hē is used for the third-person singular masculine (he).

hīe is the nominative case form. However, in many manuscripts and dialects, the final unstressed vowel is dropped, resulting in the form hī.

The Old English word hīe is not the ancestor of the modern English word 'they'. Modern English replaced its native plural pronoun with borrowings from Old Norse.
The word hīe is a close relative of the German word sie, which also serves as the third-person plural pronoun.
The sound of hīe would have been closer to 'hee' than the modern pronunciation of 'they'.

Hīe us ne lufiaþ.
They don't love us.
This sentence illustrates the use of hīe in a negative statement about affection.
Tatoeba #13902411 by rul, translation #10509953 by shekitten
Hīe sindon swīþe ġītsiende menn.
They are very greedy people.
This sentence shows how hīe acts as the subject for a description of people's character.
Tatoeba #13899736 by rul, translation #9343943 by CK
Hīe ne woldon nāht elles būton rihtum friðe.
They only wanted a just peace.
This sentence demonstrates hīe used to express the desire or will of a group.
Tatoeba #13888728 by rul, translation #13120177 by rul
Hīe sind hǣlofrēondas þē gekeman ofer ealne middangeard.
They are friends who come from all over the world.
Hīe sind gōde.
They are good.
2 more sentences on Tatoeba

Mildryth and Osric are watching a group of travelers arrive at the village.

Sources

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